


I offer my acceptance

by AriamRav



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Character Study, Drabble, Light Angst, M/M, not beta read we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22299034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriamRav/pseuds/AriamRav
Summary: Sometimes, a person needs to be single-minded, needs to push aside misconceptions and learn to understand.-Another companion story to my first story, I yield to you, with the happy ending we all wished for.
Relationships: Kaji Akihiko/Nakayama Haruki
Comments: 7
Kudos: 31





	I offer my acceptance

**Author's Note:**

> The last piece to my two other works, I yield to you and I surrender to change, which makes this lucky number 3! It's been extremely fun to write for an amazing fandom. I'm hopping that I can keep it up with more character insights and hopefully branch off to a plot based story. Any constructive criticism is appreciated!

Akihiko remembers a time without spring, and Haruki understands the yearning of summer. 

Haruki walks steady, certain in the pace needed to carry on. He holds his head high and tries to hide the tremor in his heart, a quivering, pitiful, vulnerable flutter. He whispers, deep within his heart, an oath to stand strong, to be firm, subtly trying to convince himself of his happiness. He doesn't allow himself to flinch when the broadness of Akihiko gets to him, when his space is crowded, when the drinks start to pile up. Instead, he smiles, stiff, and excuses himself. He works harder, wants the easy atmosphere of an earlier friendship before his heart grew too large, and began to pound with the beat of a drum. His bass feels off, lonely, stern, unyielding but true. He will live on ignoring the small, agonized voice begging to forgive, to break down, to allow the pain to make a home in his heart, because he wants more than a single moment. 

Akihiko torments himself. He twists himself around a silent scream, recalls lowered eyes with tears being held back, and agonizes over shaven hair meant to mock once cherished feelings. The noise around him drowns out his tears, covers his insecurity, his music. It keeps him awake, drives him to dangerous corners, backs him further into the darkest corner. He thrives in that darkness. He presses closer, laughs louder, flirts with one too many, and begs for attention using his body, his music, the crowd around him. He lets his drums beat harder, faster, heavier, above the rest, until even he tires of himself. He takes a breath, tastes the stale air, and lets it out in a slow count. He strengthens his resolve, understands that this can't be the end, and with a single call, begins to rewrite his mistakes.

It starts off small, compact, almost meek. It's the building of trust, a light in the darkness set to dim. It builds, shifts, moves with the passing of time. It's building a guide book on patience, virtue, passion, love. They don’t destroy the old memories, or disregard the ugly moments. They talk. They laugh. They hash out old problems. They fight over small issues, argue loudly over changes. Akihiko makes promises, and Haruki covers his ears in disbelief. They beg for answers. They cry. They push through, until their words are spoken in clear, concise, and backed by their genuine emotions. Akihiko slows his beat down to support, to steady and in exchange, Haruki increases his pitch to match, to improve, to allow the reassurance. Together they build. Together they figure out how to start loving the other. Their progress is so slow only one word appears. 

Akihiko presses that word gently to his chest, cradled by his strength, hidden behind his beauty, overlooked underneath his piercings, but feels the warmth in his lungs, in the beat of his heart. In the differences of strength, never pride, Haruki wears the word like a crown. It's the gleam on his hair, a virtue of spun gold beginning to fill out again. It’s always present in the curl of his smile, the softness in his tone, the bloom on his cheek, and the press of his eyes against Akihiko. Akihiko approves, wants Haruki to be proud, secure in their love, wants him to continue to stare. They both begin to thrive, to explore further than the box they chained their pain in. The darkness shrinks, looks for a place to hide, but Akihiko uses the swaying winds and glowing sun to turn the light from dim to blinding.

Akihiko blows confidence, an unrelenting gust of power that drives them forward, that moves them higher, that keeps them connected on a path, their path. Akihiko straightens his back, smiles at the sun, and offers a spot of refuge, a place to ground their ideals, a space beyond the cage of his arms. Akihiko offers freedom, choices, and respect to his chosen path, to their future goal. 

Haruki inspires with his flexible ideals. Haruki is a gentle guiding hand that is both stern and soft with a soothing voice that pushes them to strive to higher edges, to nurture a new boundary, to create a haven. He builds his confidence, refuses to step back, stands tall against the warm breeze, and accepts. He holds his arms open, unapologetic, and demands, pushes himself to be selfish, to hold onto more, to be the blazing sun, to be the growing flowers, to be the new change on the horizon.

Their eyes meet in the morning light, barely there, stay with the afternoon sun, high above casting away shadows, coyly lower with the setting sun, inviting the coolness of dark but the life of crowd, and their eyes close together with the moonlight, a soft and protective light that promises, not an ending or a goodbye, but a small respite until first light.

Together, they exist in the moment, not one given season. It’s beyond the love of winter, barren, desolate, dependent on layers to stay warm. Their love is more than the growth of fresh flowers, a chill to the mornings with a hint of later warmth in the afternoons. It surpasses the unyielding force of summer heat, even with the offer to take solace underneath the shade with a promise of cold, spun soft serve. There is no competition. Their love is greater than the fallen leaves, easily discarded, annoying, but gorgeous in their flight.

Sometimes the air is crisp, bringing fresh winds and a slight chill. It’s comfortable, but there’s always a refreshing surprise around the corner. Other days, it's a raging thunderstorm; deep, booming growls as they dance around fierce shadows; Akihiko remembers a shattered cry and Haruki can't breath over the oppressive, swelling heat. The first drop of cooling rain is in the form of a shy kiss and reassuring with a promise of forgiveness and a begging mantra of “pleasepleaseletmekeepchanging.” Some days the air is so light, so full of warmth, so saturated in joy that neither party can stop smiling. They will keep reaching for more, greedy in their goal to reach, to stretch, to become so entwined that neither can see past that unspoken word.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading~!


End file.
